The Tribe

Yesterday I posted about the group of independent world leaders who have come together to be "the Elders" of our world. To speak out for truth and peace, and against issues that cause human suffering. Today I read and listen to a video clip by Seth Godin about tribes posted on the Intersection, a networking site supported by Disciple World. Tribes and Elders. Hum. It always amazes me how ideas like these two come to my attention at the same time. Even though they have nothing to do with the other, their method of creating change is the same.
One of Godin's comments stuck with me. Churches have their own tribes. It's one of the first tribes we have belonged to (along with tribes of work, play/sports, etc.). I began to look at my membership in tribes. Who do I support with my interest, my time and my voice. I was surprised at the number of tribes I am part of. Church related, real estate related, outdoor ministry related, ecology related, education related, gender related...and again, some of the sub-tribes of another. Our access to each other on various networking sites is phenomenal. I belong to several "tribes": Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, the Intersection. Plus within those tribes there are smaller groups of people who have common interests.
Godin's final challenge is for each person to do some introspection and decide what issue is most prevalent in their life and to organize a tribe for it in the next 24 hours. Difficult challenge.
I wonder how many Churches look at their "tribe" that way. What is their most important issue and how do they build a tribe around it.
The next item I read in this juxtaposition process is a familiar quote (or at least part of it is familiar) by Hippocrates:
Ars longa,
vita brevis,
occasio praeceps,
experimentum periculosum,
iudicium difficile.
Which translates (for those of us who don't know latin): Life is short, [the] art long, opportunity fleeting, experiment dangerous, judgment difficult.
Godin says that we humans try to change everything, we find a part of the status quo that is wrong and we try to make big, important change. We connect with others, non-professionals, people with passion about what needs to be changed. Historically change was created first with factories, if you have enough labor and materials you can create change. Then with mass-media where "big brother" told us what toothpaste to buy and what items we needed or groups we needed to belong to in order to have a good life. It's a top-down model. Spamming is the newest of these mass marketing processes. We are now on the cusp of a new way to create change...by leading and connecting people and ideas. This concept of connecting people with similar ideas and concerns is fascinating, especially in the Internet age. Now it is tribes that can change our world, not because they are forced, but because they want to connect. With the internet we have new ways to connect that are not limited by geography. Godin says that what we now do for a living is to find something worth changing, then assemble tribes, who assemble tribes to spread the idea until it becomes a movement.
Now, back to that Latin....Life is short....do it soon (24 hours), the art Long...the amount of time it takes to learn your art (see Malcom Gladwell's Outliers where he says it takes 10,000 hours of a pursuit to become a master), opportunity fleeting....well, that speaks for itself and judgement difficult...what is truly an important issue that needs changing.
Even though we as people THINK we have important individual issues that require change, the Elders are finding common issues for people all over the world and are beginning that grassroots process of bringing the tribes together to effect real change. Having an Elder (Jimmy Carter...see yesterday's post) decide to change his tribe (the Southern Baptists) because it is too ensconced in the Mass Marketing/communication/top-down process to change is a difficult judgement. I'm glad we have these Elders, who aren't afraid to seize the opportunity before it is gone to make our world a better place. I hope our Churches find their voice and follow suit.

The Elders

This week, President Jimmy Carter broke his long-standing membership with the Southern Baptist Church. In his statement he mentions that he is a member of "The Elders". I went to their website and was delighted to find out about this wonderful group of people who have taken on being elders to the world. Their stated mission is: The Elders are an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by Nelson Mandela, who offer their collective influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity.

In the video clip about the group, Nelson Mandella, who called them together makes the statement; “This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes. Together they will support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict and inspire hope where there is despair.” They have no elections to win, they aren't committed to any particular outcome of the issues they address. Their most recent concern is equality for women and girls. Taking this stand as an elder, brought President Carter to the realization he needed to make a statement about his own denomination and their treatment of women.

In his statement he says:
"This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. It is widespread. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths."
and
"At their most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.
The impact of these religious beliefs touches every aspect of our lives. They help explain why in many countries boys are educated before girls; why girls are told when and whom they must marry; and why many face enormous and unacceptable risks in pregnancy and childbirth because their basic health needs are not met.
In some Islamic nations, women are restricted in their movements, punished for permitting the exposure of an arm or ankle, deprived of education, prohibited from driving a car or competing with men for a job. If a woman is raped, she is often most severely punished as the guilty party in the crime.
The same discriminatory thinking lies behind the continuing gender gap in pay and why there are still so few women in office in Britain and the United States. The root of this prejudice lies deep in our histories, but its impact is felt every day. It is not women and girls alone who suffer. It damages all of us. The evidence shows that investing in women and girls delivers major benefits for everyone in society. An educated woman has healthier children. She is more likely to send them to school. She earns more and invests what she earns in her family.
It is simply self-defeating for any community to discriminate against half its population. We need to challenge these self-serving and out-dated attitudes and practices - as we are seeing in Iran where women are at the forefront of the battle for democracy and freedom."

Wow. I have always really liked Jimmy Carter, I got to shake his hand when he passed through Eugene when I was just an 18 year old and preparing to vote in my first election. I voted for him both times he ran for President. His work with Habitat for Humanity and his own Carter Center have always impressed me. This stand for equal rights for women and girls just reinforces that admiration. Thank you, Jimmy and the other Elders, for your stand to help my gender.

What is important in life...

Today I went to Portland to be with my family as my brother-in-law and sister-in-law attended the final court hearing in the adoption of their son, Jonathan. Each time we are together, I realize how lucky we are as a family. We all get along. We all have stable marriages. All of the kids grew up (or are growing up) normal, healthy, intelligent kids (don't let it go to your heads!). The hearing was sandwiched between the hearings for several young kids who were being tried for theft, burgulary and criminal mischief. The judge was gregarious and seemed to really enjoy herself. She seemed amazed that we would drive up from Eugene (110 miles) and that Grandma would fly over from Boise, for this simple, push the paper kind of proceedure that many adoptive parents don't even attend. She asked the cousins if they thought it was a good idea for her to allow Jonathan to be adopted. She asked Jonathan if he wanted to be adopted (he actually kind of answered her....kind of surprised her). And she asked Beth and Jan-Willem if they really wanted to adopt this child. I'm sure those are common questions she asks of each party in a case, but I got the feeling that she was doing it more for posterity's sake. She already could see the answer in the room full of people.
Welcome Jonathan to the Waggoner/Beldman clan. You are one lucky little boy, and we love you!